Understanding Tesler's Law: The Conservation of Complexity in Software Design

Tesler's Law, also known as the Law of Conservation of Complexity, is explained on Wikipedia. The principle states that every system has a fixed amount of complexity that must be managed. It implies that simplifying one part of a system often shifts complexity elsewhere. The law is frequently cited in software engineering and user‑interface design. Practitioners use it to balance functionality against usability. Historical context traces the concept to computer scientist Larry Tesler. The article outlines examples where developers trade off internal and external complexity. Understanding the law helps teams make informed design decisions.